Much to See and Do at AHR Expo

The dates for 2011 AHR Expo – Jan. 20-Feb. 2 — are circled on many office calendars. How about yours? If you attend, you’ll be among an industry group that feels good about the near future. Respondents to an AHR Expo survey said their business so far in 2010 has been "much better" (9.%), "better" (57.2%) or the "same as last year" (26.3%). And, more than two-thirds of exhibitors say they expect 2011 to be “a better year.”

So, refrigeration contractors, what are you waiting for? Take some well-deserved time off to visit this show, or assign one of your managers to make the trip. The combination of educational programs. and product exhibits in two massive halls will get you thinking about making 2011 a great year for you, too. And, if you’re someone who finds it to be difficult to reach product reps on the phone, this show is your chance to get more questions answered in a short amount of time.

Here are some refrigerant-related products and services you’ll see at the AHR Expo:

Bacharach (Booth C605) has released new Portable Gas Monitors available in two models, the Comfort Chek™500 and the IEQ Chek™ Series. http://www.bacharach-inc.com/

DuPont’s (Booth N4904) main message for AHR Expo 2011 is the removal of R-22 refrigerant from the market, as further reductions in the R-22 supply were made Jan 1. Other topics DuPont will highlight for attendees this year include how DuPont ISCEON® MO99™ and the launch of the DuPont™ Opteon™ family of products. In addition, DuPont sources tell ContractingBusiness.com that the company is introducing a Brand Assurance Program designed to help combat both counterfeits and illegal imports of DuPont™ Freon® R-22. Stop by the booth to see the DuPont™ Izon® 3D hologram anti-counterfeit label. The Izon® label provides visual identification of material as genuine DuPont product. DuPont customers will begin to see the DuPont™ Izon® 3D hologram on R-22 DACs in the first quarter. For those who are unable to attend this year's show, we are offering a virtual tradeshow booth. The virtual booth will launch on refrigerants.dupont.comon January 31, the first day of the AHR Expo.

RemTech (Booth N5722) has taken an innovative role in decreasing the emission of ozone-depleting and global warming substances, through the establishment of a comprehensive Halocarbon Bank Management Program. The RemTec Halocarbon Bank Management Program accepts “used” CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs and halons from clients for reclamation. Once tested and segregated according to the type of contamination, all refrigerants and halons are then cleaned to industry-accepted quality standards and certified through laboratory analysis. “As an aggregator, RemTec has the only Plasma Arc destruction facility in the U.S. that’s used for ozone-depleting substances,” says Patti Ellingson, director of wholesale distribution, in an interview with ContractingBusiness.com. “We’re promoting our program, working with other reclaimers in the industry, to destroy those substances, such as R11, R12, 114 and 115. Those are the four that currently have offsets available to them,” Ellingson says.” http://www.remtec.net/

Ritchie Engineering (Booth C316) has a new AccuProbe UV leak detector. Use a heated sensor or UV technology (or both simultaneously) to detect HFC, HCFC, and CFC refrigerants, including SNAP-approved hydrocarbon blends. Additionally, the YELLOW JACKET® BULLET™ HVACR vacuum pump is a two-stage, rotary vane, oil-sealed 7 CFM pump with a wide mouth oil reservoir port for easier, cleaner filling; a large oil sight glass for easy monitoring of the oil level; a large brass oil drain for faster oil changes, and a wide-stance metal base with rubber overlay for extra stability. http://www.yellowjacket.com/

Neutronics Inc. (Booth C1549) is showing the Ultima ID Pro HVACR refrigerant analyzer; it monitors two pressures, two live temperatures, subcooling and superheat, and liquid and vapor saturation temperatures for 84 refrigerants. It features a pressure/time chart that shows a short, detailed history of what's happened in the system, a data logging feature, and other built-in features. According to company sources, the thin film transistor display will make it easy to upgrade features in the future. refrigerantid.com

Promax (C1318) Promax RG6000 refrigerant recovery machine Promax RG6000 refrigerant recovery machine is designed to withstand the rigors of daily use in extreme conditions. This refrigerant recovery machine features a self-purge manifold that makes it easy to prepare the machine for the next job. Large oversized pressure gauges are easy to read. An internal filter helps protect the machine from harmful foreign objects. http://www.tif.com/products/detail.php?id=9181

USA Refrigerants (N3445) While the primary industry focus is on what to do with used R22, USA Refrigerants has initiated an R410A buyback program. “The program was started at the urging of contractors. They barraged us with phone calls about starting an R410A program,” says Mike Mulligan, vice president, marketing/sales. “By February and March we’ll start getting a lot of contractors involved.” Mulligan told ContractingBusiness.com that a USA Refrigerants national survey of contractors found that HVACR contractors are indeed recovering R410A, but are holding onto it. The company also has buyback programs for R22, R-11, R-12, R-22, R-113, R-123, and R-134a. http://www.usarefrigerants.com/RefrigerantBuyback.aspx

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